According to the very full colophon the manuscript was written by Francisco Cattaneo of Piacenza (Franciscus Captaneus of Placentia), in the Benedictine monastery of Polirone (in San Benedetto, Italy), in a cell called after Saint Justina, on the 10th of October 1477.

On the lower margin of folio 1 is a 16th century inscription, Est Sancti Xijsti [Sixti] placentini signat: 801. The church of San Sisto dates from 1499, and is the same for which Raphael painted his Sistine Madonna.

Another mark of ownership is a note on the fly-leaf indicating that the manuscript was in the Libri Collection, and is described in the catalogue: 'Sale Catalogue Libri MSS. Sotheby, March 28, 1859, p. 7. No. 22, B.M.S.C.S. 461'. A copy of this sale catalogue can be found in the University of Edinburgh's Special Collections, shelfmark *M.24.11. The sale of the Libri Collection took place in March of 1859 in London. The Libri Collection refers to the collection of books and manuscripts of M. Guglielmo Libri, an Italian count and mathematician. He fled to England after the French authorities issued a warrant for his arrest in 1848, claiming that he had stolen 30,000 books and manuscripts while working as the Inspector of Libraries of France. In 1850 he was sentenced in absentia to 10 years in prison. It also appears that he also stole manuscripts in Italy before moving to France. About 2,000 of the stolen items have been sold back to authorities in France and Italy. It is unclear if this manuscript is among those Libri stole.

In gold letters on the outside cover of the manuscript is, "Reid Bequest. College Library Edinburgh", and a crest.

Title given to the manuscript in Catherine Borland’s catalogue: Compendium Theologice Veritatis.

D.b.V.5.